Sineu Market: 700 Years of History

The earliest traces of the market are believed to date back to the Islamic period, as Sineu stood out as an important agricultural region and the market served as a weekly nerve center for gatherings, which the Arabs called “Suq al-arba’a.” This turned Sineu into a thriving town where merchants, traders, and craftsmen, along with a large group of Muslim gardeners, gathered to exchange goods. The consolidation of the weekly market came after the Christian conquest of Mallorca, and in 1306 King James II of Mallorca issued the Mercadal privilege, which consolidated and protected the Sineu market. Sixty years later, in 1366, King Peter the Ceremonious confirmed this market privilege. It was a market with all kinds of food products, livestock, tools, clothing, household utensils, seasonal products, and goods imported from afar. While Wednesdays were ordinary market days, the biggest market was the May fair. This event is held on the first Sunday of that month according to the privilege granted by King Sancho, possibly in 1318.